OST Article on PRR F30d TOFC by John Sethian

Bob,

Can't answer your questions, but here's I link I found with some hopefully useful data:

http://www.hosam.com/aar/tofc.html

Bob
Look at this 1959 schedule for through frieght trains.
Gives info on the scheduling and dispostion of the Truc Train consists.
For example: check out the info on THE ROCKET or The Captivator

http://broadway.pennsyrr.com/R.../Frtsched/names.html

Bob, John, and Charlie,

Thank you for all your input.

The timeline that Bob mentions helps with when ACF hitch use started.  I want to keep the ACF type hitch that came with the Lionel cars and they were in use by 1958-59 according to the timeline and other sources.  But obviously this means removing both and reinstalling only one in a new location perhaps unless the one location, nearest the end, is close enough since these hitches were meant for one trailer.  Haven't dug into that yet.

As far as all 115 F30d cars going to TTX, I have found other sources that suggest otherwise.  The 1958 ORER lists only 86 F30d's on TTX's roster.  I usually defer to PRRT&HS information sources as being the most accurate but not always infallible.  I will have to look into this more as well.

I plan to purchase the $75 DVD from PRRT&HS covering 1988-1992 if I can't find the Autumn 1992 Keystone on eBay or some other source soon.  The DVD also contains the Spring 1990 Keystone which has the article on the Class F30 flatcars which I suspect includes information on the F30d cars.

I do have a copy of the PRRT&HS book on flatcars which also helps.

I still would like to change the "F41" to an "F30d".  Where can one find an "F30d" dry transfer as mentioned in the OST article or was this lettering "kitbashed".  Whether PRR or TTX, the correct class for these cars is F30d so at least want to make that change.

If I find anything further on my end about these cars, will be sure to chime in on this thread.

I have a fondness for TOFC having worked at a trucking company in the 1980s to pay for college.  I was the skinny kid that was always tasked with climbing on the trailer roof to remove the rag tops on the trailers that had them on blistering hot summer days.

John's article inspired me to modify the Lionel cars so that they more correctly resemble the PRR/TTX cars of the 1950s.  I also plan to add a rag top to one or two trailers.  Model Railroader has a good article on how to go about doing that.

Thanks again.

I managed to find and order the two Keystone Magazine back issues no longer available at PRRT&HS but still available through another source that cover PRR TOFC service.  They are:

1990 Vol. 23, #1 - Feature Article - F30a and other classes

1992 Vol. 25, #3 - Feature Article - Truc Train

So between these issues and the PRRT&HS book on flatcars and other photos, PRR documents, etc. I have a good collection of PRR Truc Train / TTX Trailer Train prototype information relevant to the late 1950s.

Regarding all 115 PRR F30d flatcars (similar to Lionel PRR PS-4 piggyback cars) going to TTX.  The Oct 1958 ORER shows that PRR still had ten cars with the following road numbers:

475309, 475313, 475324, 475404, 475420, 475443, 475499, 475529, 475535, 475548

PRR also still had 2 F30e's: 475582, 475699

I realize that all of the above may have been in process of being transfered to TTX but it at least suggests that not all F30d's went to TTX at the start.  For all I know, by the time ORER collected data, printed and distributed the October 1958 edition they all may have been on TTX's roster by then.

Disappointed that Lionel and Weaver labeled these flatcars F41 in stead of F30d.  Lionel is reproducing this car this year and appears will repeat this error.

My search for TTX F30d, F30e, F30g, decals has yielded nothing.  I guess this may require either paying for a custom run or kitbashing from another decal set.

Lastly, with so many railroads having joined TTX by the late 1950s into the early 1960s why hasn't any manufacturers produced the 75 foot TOFC flatcar?  Would think it would be more appealing to a wider consumer base than the 89 foot TTX flatcars made by Atlas, especially since a 75 ft car will track better in curves than an 89 ft car.

I refuse to pay $600 for an OMI brass 75 ft flatcar.  By the time you had a respectable number for a consist, assuming you could acquire that many and who knows how long that may take, one would have say $5k-$6k invested in cars and still likely need to paint them and find decals for them.

How difficult would it be to scratch build one out of styrene sheets?

I see a potential market for these cars.  Am I the only one?

Can you add prototype and model photos to your thread?  

Could an acceptable 75' car be kitbashed from an 89' car by removing a 14' section from the center or two 7' sections?

Matt